Senegal – a French-speaking, Muslim nation on the West African coast – has maintained one of the most robust democratic systems on the entire African continent. That it has managed to do so in the face of persistent poverty is little less than remarkable. This program will introduce students first-hand to one of the most intriguing (and hospitable) countries in the annals of African and Islamic politics, history, culture, and economic development. By engaging in development projects via local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), to which they will be assigned, students will experience firsthand the challenges and rewards of “doing development.” Classes at the West African Research Center (WARC) in Dakar will be supplemented by excursions throughout the city and elsewhere in the country.